


The J-Word

by AlmondRose



Category: Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst!, F/M, Flashbacks, M/M, anyway, anyway this is the best au ever @dc take notes, bruce's got issues but what else is new, btw this isn't bragging a friend came up w this au not me, i almost forgot hahahah, i think!!!!!!, this is my longest fic!!!!!, this is super angsty yeah sorry, well probably i mean i can't predict the future
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-27
Updated: 2017-02-27
Packaged: 2018-09-27 04:40:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,934
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9965522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlmondRose/pseuds/AlmondRose
Summary: Clark just died. Kara Zor-El's ship just landed. Hey, just another day in Bruce Wayne's life.





	

**Author's Note:**

> dear lord this is......so long......but highly anticipated by at least two people, one of those being me

Clark Kent is dead, to begin with.

 

Bruce and Clark were never friends, barely partners, definitely enemies, And Bruce thinks that if he even mourns Clark at all, it should be as the loss of a great hero, or the loss of a potential ally.

 

But Bruce doesn’t do things by half.

 

He mourns like he would a _best_ friend, someone he’d known for years, and somehow it feels like they did. When Bruce thinks about it, when he realizes he knows nothing about Clark Kent, the man. He knows plenty about Superman, as that’s kinda what the focus of his last two years was.

 

And, you’ll remember, Bruce doesn’t do things by half.

 

He’s not a stalker, he thinks, because the subject is dead, so he’s more of an...interested party. It takes him only a minute to pull up adoption papers, Clark’s resume, every article he’s ever written, and his report cards.

 

He sets to reading.

 

He doesn’t do it all at once, only a document a day, and this helps distract him. _It’s how I’m honoring him,_ he thinks, because although a gathering of all the metas is a good idea, it’s not necessarily a job that Bruce is cut out for.

 

Diana had quickly found out that Bruce isn’t very pleasant to work with, and she’d taken it upon herself to finish what Bruce’d barely started. They still work together, just not in close quarters or very often.

 

It’s better this way, Bruce thinks.

 

So Bruce reads Clark’s third grade projects, and Diana ambassadors to the one they call Aquaman, and Bruce thinks it’s good.

 

Well, maybe not good, but certainly not bad.

 

\---------

 

One day, he realizes he’s finished the readings--he’s done _maybe_ a little more than a document a day. He scrolls through the files on the Batcomputer, frowning, then he gets up and goes to the Batplane.

 

He changes on the way, landing in a golden field and emerging as Bruce Wayne. He walks to the farmhouse and knocks.

 

Martha Kent answers, and she remembers him. She lets him in.

 

\---------

 

Seeing as Superman is dead, Batman has been seen patrolling in Metropolis. Seeing as Clark is dead, Bruce has been seen going to the Kent farm. Only a little, of course.

 

And Bruce--Batman--isn’t trying to take over Superman’s life, he’s trying to _understand_ it. He thinks it might sort of be working, but then he hears news of a UFO crash in a field in Minnesota, and it’s not really Batman’s usual gig, but it’s Superman’s, and Bruce is _not_ trying to be Superman, but he goes anyway.

 

\--------

 

It’s--the UFO looks like a pod of some kind, which is probably irrelevant, but it looks familiar.

 

Last time Bruce went to the Kent farm, Mrs. Kent had shown him the barn. And the spaceship inside the barn.

 

And this pod...thing...is nearly identical to Clark’s arrival ship. Except bigger. Bruce isn’t sure the implications for that, but he approaches anyway. If this is what he thinks it might be….

 

The pod’s lid opens with a puff of smoke when Bruce approaches, and there’s someone inside.

 

A girl, around thirteen, with blonde hair. She’s asleep, but she blinks herself awake when the ship opens.

 

“Kal?” she croaks, and Bruce stops. Her tunic has the Superman symbol on it, and that’s….that’s Clark’s family crest. Kal is Clark. The girl’s eyes dart to him, and widen.

 

She says something else, in a language Bruce is trying to learn.

 

“I can’t speak Kryptonian,” he says. “But I know Kal.” She looks surprised at the name. She doesn’t know what he said. Bruce sighs and helps her out of the pod. He’ll have to take her to the Fortress. He points to his plane, mimes flying. She looks confused. He points to his mouth, then hers, then mines flying again. She nods slowly, then looks around wildly. She says something that begins and ends with “Kal.” He catches a few words he knows, like “Krypton” and “protect” and “Earth.”

 

“Wait here,” he says, using a hand gesture. She nods. She seems smart.

 

Bruce goes to the Batplane. He obviously won’t get her to go with him, and if she realizes she has powers, there won’t be anything to stop her. He grabs a tablet and hacks into the Fortress, downloading a program.

 

He brings it back to her, and types something in. It’s essentially a translating app, but with Kryptonian.

 

 _I can’t speak your language, but this is a translator._ He hands it to her. She reads it, and her blue eyes blur. Her hand moves, almost too fast for Bruce to see, and she types something quickly, then reads, then types again.

 

 _Thank you,_ she types. _Have you seen another pod like this one?_ She points at her ship. And Bruce takes the tablet again.

 

 _No I haven’t. Why are you here?_ She takes the tablet back, types, frowns, types again.

 

“I am from the planet Krypton. It has blown up. I was sent to earth with my baby cousin, Kal-El. Have you seen him?” the tablet intones, and the girl repeats the words, her voice unused to Earth’s sounds.

 

Bruce is impressed with her. He takes the tablet back.

 

 _You must have been knocked off course,_ he types. _And somehow preserved. Kal-El landed here over thirty years ago._ He says the words out loud as she reads them. “I’m sorry.”

 

She looks at him, her eyes wide.

 

“Thirty?” she repeats, and she’s picking up English really quickly. He nods gravely.

 

“Where is he?” she asks, using the tablet as a reference. Bruce swallows. He doesn’t want to tell her.

 

“He was a hero,” he says, and her eyes widen.

 

“No,” she says.

 

“Earth’s atmosphere gave him powers,” Bruce explains. “You...should have the same ones. He saved a lot of people.” She frowns, looking down at the tablet. “But about four months ago, there was a big battle. It was all my fault. He’s….your cousin is dead.” She looks up at him, her eyes watery.

 

“Dead?” she repeats. Bruce nods. She covers her ears. “No!”

 

“It’s true,” he says sadly.

 

“Stop!” she says. “No!” She falls on her knees, still covering her ears. “No!” Bruce realizes in a rush that she’s not in denial. He lifts her up, and carries her to the Batplane. She’s shaking in his arms, but the Batplane is lead-lined.

 

He takes her inside and closes the doors, unsure if that would actually help her. It takes a few minutes before she uncurls, her hands falling from her ears.

 

“Too loud,” she says, taking the tablet.

 

“Do you want me to take you to get food?”

 

She reads over the tablet and nods. Bruce takes off, letting her grieve in silence.

 

“Did you know him?” she asks a little bit later.

 

“Yes,” Bruce says. “It was my fault he died.”

 

“No,” she says, although she doesn’t know. “Was he...good?”

 

“The best,” he responds.

 

“Why was it so loud?”

 

“You have super-hearing,” he says. “And vision, and flight, and a lot of other things.”

 

“Flight?” she asks suspiciously.

 

“Yeah,” he says. “Here.” He puts the plane on auto-pilot, and turns. He takes the tablet and pulls up some footage of Clark. “They called him Superman,” he says, turning back to the controls.

 

“Why are you wearing that?” she asks, ignoring the video.

 

“I fight crime, and to protect my real identity I wear this. I’m Batman.”

 

“Earth is strange,” she says. “I’m Kara.” Bruce figures she has a right to know, so he pulls off his cowl.

 

“My real name is Bruce,” he says.

 

\-----

 

He feels bad, but he can’t just take her. She’s not his to take, and Bruce...well, he doesn’t have the greatest track record with kids or Kryptonians. So far in the kids department it’s 50/50, but in the Kryptonian….0/0, and Bruce doesn’t like either of those odds.

 

So he leaves her with Mrs. Kent, and he flies away without looking back.

 

\-----

 

Bruce lays in bed at an ungodly hour of the night and feels guilty; patrol had been a nice distraction but now he’s not there anymore.

 

He wants to talk to someone, but Alfred’s asleep and the only other person he can think of isn’t currently speaking to him. He supposes he could talk to Diana, but she’s either in Atlantis or Themescyria, and either way it’s like four in the morning.

 

And he feels bad for leaving Kara behind. In her mind, she’d just left Krypton and she’d just lost her cousin, all the while engaging in some time travel.

 

Bruce stares at the ceiling and tries to go to sleep, trying to convince himself that he doesn’t owe Kara anything.

 

\-----

 

He wakes up and sunlight is streaming through his room and Kara is on his balcony, crying and knocking on the window.

 

He opens the door for her, and she scoops him into a tight hug.

 

“Kara,” he says. She loosens her grip, probably afraid of her super-strength.

 

“I can’t--I can’t s-stay there,” she sobs into his chest. “T-too many ghosts.” Bruce thinks of the pictures of Clark on the walls, of Clark’s untouched bedroom.

 

“There are plenty of ghosts here,” he says quietly, because he doesn’t want her to think this is some happy mansion where they sing and dance all day.

 

“I-I can handle it,” she says, her voice muffled. “I c-can do your ghosts. I-I don’t w-want _mine_.”

 

\-----

 

Bruce calls Martha and tells her where Kara’s gone; Martha agrees that Kara should stay with him.

 

The girl in question kicks her legs while she sits at the counter, eating waffles and looking around the kitchen. Bruce feels a surge of a familiar feeling--he pushes it back down.

 

He can’t deal with this. Not today.

 

“I’ll give you a tour,” he says. “When you’re done eating.”

 

“Okay!” Kara says, putting more waffle in her mouth. “This is really good.”

 

“Thank you, Miss Kara,” Alfred says from the kitchen. Kara giggles. She finishes her waffles in a blur of motion and Bruce wonders how he’s going to train her to deal with her powers. Instead he takes her on the “above-ground” tour, showing her all the rooms, skipping over the two across the hall from his. Alfred’s setting up a room for her next to one of them, and Bruce tries not to think about the implications.

 

Kara seems to get it when he passes over the two rooms--the word “ghosts” echoes in Bruce’s mind.

 

He takes her to the study, and she stares up at the portrait of himself and his parents.

 

“Is that you?” she asks.

 

“Me and my parents,” Bruce says. “Right before they died.”

 

“Oh,” Kara says softly. Bruce opens the clock before she can ask any farther.

 

“And here’s the downstairs,” he says.

 

\----

 

Kara seems dumbstruck by the cave, how big it is and how much stuff there is. She barely glances at the memorial cases before she turns away--the sight of Clark’s suit might be a bit much for her.

 

She seems completely fascinated by everything else, though, and Bruce feels an odd rush of pride. She jumps over to the Batmobile, and--

 

_“Wow! This is so cool!” he said, jumping around excitedly. Bruce allowed a small smile to fall from his lips as he watched the boy tumble around the cave, doing cartwheels over the car._

 

_“Batmobile!” he cheered. “Batplane!” He stopped by the suit, hanging in a case. “Batman,” he said reverently._

 

_“Yes,” Bruce said simply, never one for words._

 

_“I still can’t believe this,” he said. “You’re--Batman is the greatest.”_

 

_“He’s...I’m really not,” Bruce said awkwardly._

 

_“You totally are,” he said admiringly, and Bruce felt a flush rise up on his cheeks._

 

He pushes the flashback away, and the little black haired boy turns into a little blonde girl in oversized flannel. Bruce makes a note to send Alfred out for more clothes.

 

Kara tilts her head to inspect the ceiling.

 

“Do you think I can fly in here?” she asks, and Bruce matches her gesture.

 

“Probably,” he says. “I’ll help you.”

 

“Thank you,” Kara says, glowing.

 

\-------------------

 

Lois sits at her dining room table, staring at her water.

 

Four months, she thinks. Four months since he died.

 

Four months since she--she pushes the thought away.

 

She’s not sure who to tell, who to turn to. People will find out, soon. She’ll be flooded with sympathy and people trying to help her and--urg. She didn’t ask for this.

 

She can still feel Clark’s presence in their apartment, but he’s gone. Lois twists the engagement ring on her finger and wishes she could talk to him.

 

Now, more than ever, she needs him.

 

\--------------------------

 

Bruce gives Kara a history lesson, starting with his parents. He has to explain what a gun is, and she says they had something similar on Krypton.

 

She’s okay with his story, gasping and smiling in the right places. Bruce doesn’t want to tell her about Clark, doesn’t want to give her that burden.

 

Instead he tells her about Kryptonite, helps her to control her heat vision and x-ray vision (that one was kinda awkward) and freeze breath and super strength.

 

He can teach control. He’s a master of it, so this isn’t bad.

 

Unfortunately, he doesn’t know the first thing about flying, so he has to let her figure that out on her own.

 

The batcave has big ceilings, and she’s a fast learner.

 

\------

 

“Can I be a superhero?” she asks, and Bruce nearly spits out his drink.

 

“What?” he gasps.

 

“Like you. I could help you,” she says.

 

“I don’t--you’re too young,” he says. Kara frowns.

 

“I saw suits my size,” she says. “The red and green ones. Locked in a box. You had someone my age help you.” Despite himself, Bruce thinks of circuses and tire jacks. He ignores the thought.

 

“Kara,” he says. “Something...bad happened to the last person that helped me.”

 

“Something bad happened to Clark, too, but I still want to help,” she says. “Nothing will happen to me as long as there’s no more Kryptonite.”

 

“So you want to be Supergirl?” Bruce says, arching an eyebrow.

 

“No,” she says, shaking her head. “No. I already f-failed Clark--”

 

“You didn’t do anything of the sort!” Bruce says. “ _I_ failed Clark. _You_ had no control over your situation. I’m the one who spent two years trying to kill him---and I succeeded.”

 

“No you didn’t!” Kara says, standing up angrily. “ _I_ was supposed to protect him. _I_ was supposed to be there for him. _I_ made a promise to Lara and Jor. _I wasn’t there._ So it’s _my_ fault he’s dead.”

 

“Kara,” Bruce says, and he’s out of practice.

 

“No!” Kara shrieks, and she runs away. Bruce hears a door slam behind her, and muffled sobs.

 

Bruce’s head drops into his hands.

 

\------

 

Lightning illuminates the room, and thunder crashes. Bruce is half asleep, but he feels someone get on his bed. He turns, and for a second--just a second--he sees a black haired boy, eyes wide and terrified--but lightning flashes again and it’s Kara.

 

“It’s too loud,” she whispers. Ah. First storm with super-hearing--she can probably hear each individual raindrop as it hits the ground, can hear the thunder magnified tenfold.

 

He opens his covers, and she crawls under without hesitation, curling near his chest.

 

“Focus on my heartbeat,” he says. “Tune out the other sounds.” She nods against him, breathes deeply. He strokes her hair, lets her settle. It’s too late for her to be up, but it’s all part of the business.

 

She’s already too tangled in the vigilante mess for him to keep her out of it, he thinks suddenly. Maybe he shouldn’t keep her out. Maybe this time--maybe he’ll do right with her. This can be how he makes the last two years up to Clark, to Kal, to Superman.

 

He draws her closer, and she says, shakily, “I want to be Robin.” He never told her about Robin, but there’s a little plaque on the bottom of Ja--of _his_ case. She could have read it any time.

 

“Not Supergirl?” he asks. Her name wouldn’t _have_ to be Supergirl, but the implication is there. She shakes her head.

 

“I know you don’t like me saying it,” she says. “But I feel like I failed Kal. Clark. And I--I don’t want to fail you, too.” Her hands tighten where they’re clutching Bruce’s shirt, and her voice catches on the last words. Bruce knows what she means.

 

\-----------------

 

People are starting to figure it out, which is probably fine. Lois knows they’ll find out anyway, so she’s fine with them asking her. Nodding and confirming is better than saying the words out loud, and luckily people at the _Planet_ are too afraid of her to try and get her to talk about Clark.

 

The downside is that now that Perry knows, he won’t give her any dangerous assignments, which is _dumb_ because now Lois can’t go after the Luthor story.

 

(He’s broken out of Arkham, and nobody’s seen him since, and Lois would _love_ to solve that mystery, but noooo.)

 

So instead Perry is sending her to go get a puff piece done, some trash about Wayne and a gala in a few months, Lois wasn’t really paying attention.

 

She’ll figure out what the gala’s for after she’s done fuming about it.

 

\-----------------

 

Kara has gone out as Robin a total of one time before the news gets out. Bruce shows her the newspaper, and she reads slowly, still getting the hang of reading in English. She likes the paper, and keeps it in her room. It’s only a small mention, pretty much a rumor, but Bruce knows he has to confirm something else before that news _really_ gets out.

 

But first---first. First he has to make a call he _really_ doesn’t want to make. His hand hovers over his phone, over the number he’s already typed in from muscle memory, and he’s trying to just _hit the darn call button,_ but instead he backspaces and types in a new number, hitting “call” before he can realize that he just chickened out of a _phone call._

 

The phone rings twice before it’s answered.

 

“Bruce?” Diana asks. “Is everything okay?”

 

“Diana,” Bruce says. “I have something to tell you.”

 

\---------------------

 

He’s not a stalker, he swears. But he does still read the _Gotham Gazette,_ even though he hasn’t lived in Gotham in quite a few years. So he sees the news--new Robin. Little blonde girl.

 

At first, it’s just a rumor. He dismisses it. Surely he’s not _that_ exiled that he wouldn’t know about a new Robin, right?

 

But then there’s more news. More sightings. After only a few weeks, it’s undeniable.

 

He sighs and gets dressed. Maybe it’s time to make amends. Maybe it’s time to address the Superman issue. Maybe it’s time.

 

He gets on his motorcycle and smiles.

 

Nightwing’s ready to come home.

 

\-----------

 

Batman stands on a roof, staring down at the city below. “Where to next?”

 

“Crime alley,” Robin answers immediately. “There’s a meeting. It sounds like drugs.”

 

“Let’s go, then,” Batman says. He extends his grapple and soars to the next rooftop, Robin flying right next to him. She knows how to use a grapple, just in case, but Batman lets her fly. He has to stop on another rooftop to swing to the next, and he does.

 

He feels someone in his peripherals, and Robin lets out a squeak of warning. Batman turns a little. A black and blue costumed person grins at him. Batman huffs.

 

“Oracle, tell Penny-One to ready a room and come get Nightwing’s stuff from your apartment,” he says.

 

“Sure thing, B,” she says over the comm, and Batman is one hundred percent sure she has a shit-eating grin on the other end.

 

“So B,” Nightwing says, tucking into a roll and landing on the next roof. “New Robin?”

 

“Who are you?” Robin asks, putting her hands on her hips. Nightwing leans down and boops her on the nose.

 

“I am your predecessor,” he says. “And someone really confused about Batman’s life choices right now. And, depending on how things go, your big brother.”

 

“Um,” she says.

 

“So, B, powers? I thought you didn’t like metas.”

 

“I changed my mind,” Batman growls. “Nightwing, this is Robin. Robin, this is the first Robin.”

 

“Oh,” Robin says. “Batman said that there were two, and he doesn’t want to talk about the second one and that the first one hates him now.”

 

“I do not,” Nightwing says, mock-offended. “I just question a lot of his decisions. Such as trying to kill Superman. And taking in a new Robin after what happened to the last one.”

 

“Don’t talk about either of those things,” Batman grows. “She’s Superman’s cousin.”

 

“Holy crap,” Nightwing says.

 

“Holy crap yourself,” she says, sticking her tongue out.

 

“Can we get back to patrol?” Batman growls.

 

“Fine,” Nightwing says. “But you owe me an explanation.”

 

“I know.”

 

“I’d like one, too,” Robin says. “Maybe not about the other Robin, but--”

 

“I _know,_ ” Batman says. “We’ll talk later. Let’s go.”

 

“Whatever, _Dad,_ ” Nightwing says. It’s sarcastic and meant to be a joke but Bruce feels a rush of warmth anyway.

 

\-----

 

“And you’ll announce your adoption of Kara at the gala?” Dick asks, leaning back in his chair.

 

“Yes,” Bruce says. “I had Barbara make some papers.”

 

“And he got me some _glasses,”_ Kara informs Dick. “Even though I don’t need any.”

 

“She wears a mask,” Dick says, making a face. “Why would she need glasses?”

“In case she ever...decides to be Supergirl,” Bruce says, and Kara nods.

 

“He says that since you grew out of Robin, I might too, and I might want to honor Kal,” she says brightly. Bruce is glad she can talk about Clark without breaking down. After all, he still can’t talk about the second Robin, and he doesn’t think Dick can, either.

 

Dick nods. “Makes sense.”

 

“When are you going back to Bludhaven?” Kara asks, leaning closer to Dick. He casts a glance at Bruce and shrugs.

 

“I’m not sure,” he says. “But I’m sticking around for a while.”

 

\-----------------------

 

The news are in uproar. Bruce Wayne’s adopted another kid, a little girl.

 

Lois can’t help but remember what happened to the last one, but she tries not to think about it. She’s on the bus to Gotham, where Bruce Wayne’s annual gala is being dedicated to his new daughter, Kara. She’d rather be anywhere but this gala, but she can’t help it.

 

She curls in on herself and thinks of kids. There’s no official story about where Bruce found Kara, but there’s rumors of an orphanage, or a child trafficking ring. It’s interesting, Lois concedes, staring out the window, but not really her kind of interesting.

 

The bus pulls into a familiar bus stop; Lois has been to Gotham many times before.

 

She unloads with the rest of the people, someone gets her bag for her. She thanks the man and her hotel is just across the street, so she walks herself there.

 

Once she’s in her room, she collapses on the bed. She has to get dressed soon, but she’s so tired and she feels so, so lonely.

 

Before, if she had to leave for a night, Clark would come and join her. Lois is fiercely independent, but she doesn’t like to sleep alone. She supposes she’s not _really_ alone, but it feels like it.

 

She allows herself five minutes of laying in bed before she has to get up and put her game face on.

 

\---------------

 

Bruce has never liked galas. This one is necessary, he deems, and perhaps if he focuses all his attention on Kara and Dick then he doesn’t have to tone up the playboy persona.

 

He’d explained to Kara his secret identity, and she’d seemed to understand well enough.

 

They pull out of the limo thirty minutes late, even though Bruce is hosting. He’d had Alfred open the gala, and they’d left to do a few laps around the city and arrive in a dramatic fashion.

 

Bruce gets out of the driver’s seat and Dick pulls Kara out; almost immediately there are cameras trained on them and people yelling.

 

“Please, please, save it for inside,” Bruce says, pushing up his sunglasses. Once he’s inside, he tosses them in a plant and struts to the middle of the room, Kara and Dick behind him.

 

“Mr Wayne,” Vicki Vale says, pushing out of the crowd and shoving a recorder in his face. “How did you come across Kara?”

 

“Well, Vicki darling, there’s no shortage of orphans in Gotham, and as soon as I saw this sweetheart I knew I had to adopt her.”

 

Kara smiles sheepishly as Vicki turns to her.

 

“How do you feel about your adoption?” she asks, thrusting the recorder at her. Kara blinks.

 

“I like it,” she says shyly. “I’m very grateful to Mr. Way--my father.”

 

Calling Bruce “dad” had been Dick’s idea. Everyone would love it, fall for it. Vicki herself coos at Kara’s words.

 

“Hey, Dad, I’ve got it covered here,” Dick says, gently pushing Bruce towards more reporters. “Why don’t you go and have fun?”

 

“If you insist,” Bruce says, grinning and shooting him a wink. He screams internally, and turns on his heel and saunters towards the pack of reporters. He flashes them all flirty smiles, but he’s quickly distracted by a hand on his arm.

 

“Mr Wayne?” a familiar voice asks, one that takes him back to a night half a year ago. He turns slowly, lets her guide him away. When she releases him, he turns to face her properly.

 

Lois Lane looks well, a little thinner perhaps. Bruce’s gaze travels over her, stops.

 

She’s pregnant.

 

Lois Lane, girlfriend to Clark Kent, is pregnant. Bruce catches sight of a glimmer on her left hand, and he realizes a bunch of things at once.

 

First and foremost, does she know? Does she know who Bruce is?

 

“Well, hello, Miss Lane. Or is it Mrs?” he asks, gesturing to the ring. She makes a face.

 

“Miss,” she says. “I’m not married.”

 

“Ah,” he says. “Well, I must say you’re looking well.”

 

“Thanks,” she says shortly. “Now, about Kara--”

 

“Care to dance?” he interrupts, taking her hand before she can answer.

 

“If we can talk,” she grumbles as Bruce pulls her onto the dance floor. She’s not that big yet, so the dancing isn’t awkward.

 

“Kara is a lovely girl,” Bruce says. “She’s adjusting wonderfully, and she just _adores_ Dickie.”

 

“Okay,” Lois says. “How is it, having another kid? Is it painful? Does Kara know about Jason?” Bruce’s heart stutters. He smiles.

 

“She’s heard stories,” he says. “And of course no child can replace that gaping hole in my heart.” She blinks, looks like the words maybe hit too close. Maybe that was mean. “But she’s settling quite nicely. What about you?” Lois blinks again, flicks her gaze to her stomach. Her hand in Bruce’s tightens. Sore subject.

 

“Fine,” she says. “The father was...lost in the battle.” There’s no question as to which battle, of course. “And I’m...doing well.”

 

“Marvelous,” Bruce says. He studies her face again. She looks upset. Bruce isn’t sure she’s doing all that well.

 

He makes a decision. It’s the least he can do for her.

 

He leans in and whispers in her ear.

 

\------------

 

Lois isn’t sure why she agreed to this.

 

During their dance, Wayne had leaned in and asked her to meet him his study after everyone else left. She’d agreed, then he’d straightened up and started spewing glories about his new daughter.

 

Now he’s off saying goodbye to Selina Kyle, and Lois is pacing at the door by the study, or at least the door the butler had directed her to.

 

She’s not sure what this meeting will entail. Will it be a therapy session? Sex? An exclusive interview?  

 

She’s not even sure which one she wants it to be. She turns another pace, and hears footsteps come down the hall. Bruce has Dick and Kara behind him.

 

Not sex, then.

 

Lois isn’t sure if she’s disappointed or not. It’d be kind of nice to forget, for a little.

 

“Lois,” Bruce says, nodding. He pushes open the study door. “Come in.”

 

She goes in, still uneasy. The Waynes follow her in, Dick closing the door behind her.

 

“Please sit,” Bruce says. Lois does, twisting her ring nervously. She’s not afraid, per say, but she’s certainly confused. Bruce settles across from her, leaning forward. Dick and Kara sit on either side of him.

 

“I am about to tell you how I acquired Kara,” Bruce says. Lois leans to grab her recorder, relieved. “Obviously this is completely confidential.” Lois looks at him, raising an eyebrow.

 

“Then why tell me?” she challenges. She drops her notebook, though.

 

“I am completely and utterly responsible for the death of Clark Kent,” he says, bluntly, and Lois’s heart falls to her feet.

 

“What the hell?” she whispers.

 

“Bruce,” Dick says. Bruce shushes him.

 

“Almost six months ago, you ran into a Gotham warehouse and found me with my boot on Clark Kent’s neck and screaming about his mother,” Bruce says, his voice even. “I had a Kryptonite spear in my hand, a spear that only a few hours later killed him. I made the spear, I killed him.” Kara makes a noise of protest.

 

“You’re Batman,” Lois says flatly. He nods, a slight jerk of the head. She takes a deep breath and slumps back on the couch, rubbing her eyes. “Batman didn’t kill him,” she says after a minute. “He chose to sacrifice his life for the good of the world.”

 

“It should’ve been me,” Bruce says, matter-of-fact. “Superman can do more good than Batman.”

 

“I’ve accepted that it wasn’t anyone’s fault,” Lois says, feeling close to tears. She blames hormones. “Or it was everyone’s fault. No single person gets the blame, except for maybe Luthor.”

 

“ _Shut up!_ ” a voice interrupts. Lois moves her hands to see Kara, standing up and looking mad. “It wasn’t your fault, it wasn’t Bruce’s fault, _it was mine_!”

 

“Kara--”

 

“No! No! I was supposed to protect him! I made a promise, to him, to his dad, to _everyone!_ And I failed! Nobody gets to say it was their fault! If I had been there, _I_ would’ve done it. I would’ve killed Doomsday, and there would still be a Superman.”

 

“What are you talking about?” Lois asks, bewildered, and Kara lets out an anguished wail and red light sears from her eyes, hitting the ceiling. Lois recognizes it in a jolt.

 

“W-what--” she says, shocked, and Bruce is at Kara’s side, tucking her into him while she cries into his shoulder.

 

“I--I didn’t mean too!” she sobs.

 

“Shh, shh, it’s okay,” Bruce says soothingly, and Dick stands up, too.

 

“Kara’s Clark’s cousin,” he says. “Biologically. Her ship was knocked off course, she was preserved in sleep. She arrived--she arrived too late.” Lois’s hands fly to her mouth and she stares at the little blonde girl cradled in Batman’s arms.

 

She thinks of three things.

 

One, she thinks of Jason and Dick and the little blonde Robin.

 

Two, she thinks of how Kara must feel, how miserable it must be, and she’s what--twelve? Thirteen?

 

And three, she thinks of the baby, her baby, Clark’s baby.

 

She takes a few steps forward, leans down towards Kara. She doesn’t know much about kids, but.

 

“Kara,” she says. “Do you know who I am?” Kara’s wet eyes shine from behind Bruce’s shoulder, and she shakes her head. “I was going to get married to Clark,” Lois explains. “And I’m going to have a baby.”

 

“Clark’s baby?” Kara whispers. Lois nods, smiles.

 

“Yes,” she says. “Yes.” Kara peels off from Bruce and tackles Lois in a hug, which she returns.

 

She’s not sure what mess she’s gotten herself into now, but it seems there’s no way she’ll ever be free of Superman or Batman.

 

\----------

 

There’s an underlying implication of Bruce inviting Lois to stay with him that he ignores. She accepts on the grounds of him offering to pay for her baby’s care and the medical bill.

  
There’s a big difference between a reporter’s salary and a billionaire.

 

Bruce can tell she also accepts for Kara, to get to know her better. Both girls are good for each other, Bruce thinks.

 

Lois needs practice in mothering, and Kara needs a mother figure, not that Bruce and Lois are her new parents, of course. Just...parental figures.

 

Seeing as Bruce owns the _Daily Planet_ , it’s not that hard for him to get Perry to assign her projects that are for Gotham. The _Gotham Gazette_ is only too happy to print Lois’s articles.

 

She seems fascinated by the Batcave, always asking how things work and what what’s for.

 

“I’d train if I wasn’t pregnant,” Bruce heard her tell Dick one day when he and Kara were sparring.

 

“Maybe after,” Dick says in response.

 

“Yeah,” Lois says. “Maybe.”

 

Bruce is grateful that she stays away from the display cases, the three on the wall. Oracle comes over one night for dinner, and Barbara explains that she had been Batgirl.

 

Being a reporter, Lois would know what happened to her.

 

\------

 

Bruce is putting on the suit when Lois walks around the side of the changing area.

 

“What _really_ happened to Jason Todd?” she asks. “That story about the skiing accident is fake, right?” Bruce pauses in buckling on his boots. He takes a deep breath.

 

“There was a warehouse,” he says quietly. “And the Joker. Crowbar. Explosion.” He chances a glance at her, and her hands are over her mouth.

 

“Oh my god,” she whispers. “I’m--I’m so sorry.”

 

“After he died,” Bruce says, “I couldn’t--it was hard to trust people. At all. I became...reckless. Aggressive. Cruel. I forgot what my purpose was, what Batman’s purpose was. And then Wayne building collapsed, at the height of my paranoia, and---”

 

“And it was a god who did it,” Lois says. “And so you--”

 

“Yes,” Bruce says. “I couldn’t--I can’t bring myself to kill the Joker, the bastard that stole Barbara’s ability to walk, that stole by son from me. But maybe--maybe I could kill Superman, who’s never--never done anything wrong.”

  
He sits down, the confession almost too much. Lois sits next to him, gently.

 

“Bruce,” she says, and she turns his head towards her. “It wasn’t your fault.”

 

“I can’t believe that,” Bruce whispers, and her face is really very close to his. And her mouth is...very pretty. And right there. And--

 

Bruce turns his face from her touch, shoves on the cowl and belt.

 

“Robin, Nightwing, let’s go,” he growls, stalking towards the car.

 

“Okay!” Robin says, flying down to the Batmobile. Batman flips in next to her, and he hears Nightwing’s bike rev to a start.

 

“Bruce--” Lois calls, running out after him.

 

Batman ignores her, racing out of the cave.

 

\----

 

He comes back home, and the whole exchange comes crashing down on him. He can’t believe he almost--the thought is too much to bear.

 

He already stole Clark’s life, Clark’s cousin, he can’t steal the love of his life, either. He _can’t_ be developing feelings for Lois; Lois is Clark’s, or she belongs to herself and her child, but she can’t...she can’t be with him.

 

_Why would she even want to?_

 

Then again, she probably doesn’t actually want him, and it was just a passing moment of pity for a broken man. That seems more likely, more realistic.

 

It’s bad enough, Bruce thinks as he walks up the stairs to his room, that he’s sort of kind of maybe in love with Clark. Well, the idea of him. The man he’d studied so hard, the man he’d read everything about.

 

He’s the exact sort of man Bruce would fall in love with, he knows.

 

And Lois--well, if Bruce’s isn’t careful, she could be the exact sort of woman Bruce would fall in love with.

 

\----

 

He arrives at his bed, and for a second he sees a silhouette of a woman, her long dark hair spilling  behind her. He blinks and the vision’s gone, the bed still made and very definitely empty. Bruce sighs and sits on the bed, rubbing his temples.

 

\-----

 

Bruce isn’t sure if Lois’s temperament is always like that or if the pregnancy is giving her hormones that make her a little snippy.

 

He kind of suspects the former, although he makes a note to look up some side effects of pregnancy.

 

Either way, she’s being snappy at Bruce and Dick, although he can tell she makes an effort around Kara and Alfred. She never brings up the old Robin again, for which Bruce is grateful.

 

She doesn’t talk about Clark, much, either, and Bruce isn’t sure what that’s supposed to mean. She doesn’t have the same thing he has, the thing where he can’t talk about his second son without panicking. He’s heard her talk about Clark before.

 

Maybe it’s for Kara’s sake, he thinks, although he doesn’t really think so.

 

\----

 

Bruce walks in the house, coming back from work--his official job--and swings by the kitchen to pick up some food. He comes to a stop when he sees the scene in front of him. There’s Lois, stirring something, and Dick is taking something out of the oven, and Kara is doing something intently--Bruce smells cookies. Alfred is at the table, watching with an amused smile, and Bruce blinks, because for a second--just a second--Lois’s hair had been dark, and Dick was younger, and Kara was--a boy with dark, curly hair, and _Talia had heard him come in, she turned and smiled._

 

_“Beloved,” she said happily. “I’ve never made cookies before.”_

 

_“It’s an outrage!” Dick chimed in._

 

_“So we had to show her,” J--the other boy said, grinning. He stopped, looked down at the cookie dough with his brow furrowed. “I haven’t done this in a long time, either.”_

 

_“Well, now you have,” Dick said cheerfully, wrapping an arm around his brother. “Hey--B, wanna join us?”_

 

“Bruce?” Lois’s voice interrupts. Bruce blinks out of the flashback. Everyone’s staring at him. He coughs into his hand.

 

“Sorry, did you say something?” he asks. Dick studies his face.

 

“Yeah,” he says. “We were saying that Kara’s never had a cookie before.”

 

“Right,” Lois says. “Are you okay?”

 

“Yes,” Bruce says, nodding. “I was just remembering something.” He strips off his jacket and rolls up his sleeves. “Need any help?”

 

“Sure!” Kara says enthusiastically. Bruce moves over to help her with the frosting, and Dick stops him to give him a brief hug.

 

Bruce wonders if Dick knows what he was thinking about.

 

\----

 

Bruce is in the cave at an ungodly hour of the morning, patrol already done and well. Dick and Kara went up to bed ages ago.

 

Bruce, of course, can’t sleep.

 

His insomnia is fine some days, active others. Today is one of those active times, and Bruce is training in an effort to tire himself out.

 

It’s not really working.

 

He hears footsteps on the stairs; turns his head imperceptibly. In the dim light of the cave, he can see Lois coming down the stairs, leaning heavily on the railing. She manages down the rest of the stairs, comes to him and crosses her arms.

 

“Nightmares?” he asks, not faltering from his pull-ups.

 

“Nightmares, insomnia, you name it,” she says dryly. “It’s hard to sleep restfully when you saw the love of your life die.”

 

“I see,” Bruce says. He thinks of his parents.

 

“In addition to this baby,” she says. “Who is an active little bugger.”

 

“Have you thought of names?” Bruce asks, hopping down from the pull-up bar and grabbing a towel to wipe his face.

 

“Martha Lucy or Jonathan Clark,” Lois answers promptly. Bruce chuckles.

 

“Are you sure you don’t want to know the gender?” he asks.

 

“Yes,” she says. “I want it to be a surprise.”

 

“Okay,” Bruce says. He pauses. “I’ve never had a daughter.”

 

“Well, you have Kara now,” Lois says. “And, I mean, maybe Superbaby here is a girl. Then you’ll, you know, have experience.”

 

“I’ve never dealt with babies,” Bruce admits. “Dick was nine and Kara and...the other one….were both thirteen.”

 

“Alfred has, though, right?” Lois says, sounding a little alarmed. “Because I don’t know the faintest about babies.”

 

“I’m sure he knows,” Bruce says, heading towards the stairs. Lois follows him. “I’m fairly sure he was around before I was born. Besides, I’m sure we can buy parenting books or something.”

 

“Yeah,” Lois says. Bruce starts at the stairs and offers her his arm, which she refuses. _Stubborn girl,_ he thinks. They head up. They’re silent.

 

“Do you think that once I go back to Metropolis, you’ll still come visit me and Superbaby?” Lois asks.

 

“Yes,” Bruce says. “If you want.” He’s not sure if he ever specified the length of her stay. She never said, either.

 

“That’d be nice,” Lois says, and they turn a corner to face more stairs.

 

“You okay?” Bruce says at her expression of disgust.

 

“Ready to just give birth already,” she mutters, and Bruce isn’t sure what to say to that, so he just offers his hand again--she still refuses--and they head back up the stairs.

 

\----

 

Bruce turns in to go to his room, and Lois follows. Bruce doesn’t protest, and they lay on either side of his bed.

 

It’s not like with Talia, he thinks, because Lois doesn’t immediately snuggle up to him. He doesn’t really think she’s a snuggler, anyway.

 

They don’t touch each other, but it’s fine. Lois falls asleep fairly quickly, and the soft sound of her breaths lull him to sleep.

 

\----

 

He wakes up to sunlight, and he turns and there’s Lois, her red hair falling over her face and she’s smiling in her sleep, and the last thing Bruce wants to do is disturb her, so he doesn’t move.

 

After only a second, she stirs, and blinks open her eyes, and Bruce realizes how very close he is to her. She smiles, meets his eyes.

 

There’s a certain stillness to the air, and Bruce doesn’t want to ruin it.

 

So when she leans forward, towards his mouth, he doesn’t back away.

 

\----

 

Nothing changes between them. Sure, their gazes linger and Lois touches him more--his shoulder, his hands, his hair.

 

She doesn’t move into his room, but it’s common for Bruce to come back from patrol and her to be there.

 

She feels the baby kick, and Bruce puts his hand on her stomach to feel it for the first time.  

 

Dick, Bruce is sure, notices the change, but he says nothing, allowing the knowing gleam in his eye to speak for itself.

 

Alfred seems to welcome it, and Bruce can’t blame him. Looking at Dick, at Kara, at Lois, at Alfred, makes him feel happier than he has in years.

 

He doesn’t trust it.

 

\---------

 

Lois comes up the stairs and there’s an open door; she goes to it. She has to do a double take at what she sees.

 

Dick is wrestling a half built crib, while Barbara sits in a corner with the instructions, and Kara holds a bunch of wooden planks.

 

“What’s going on here?” Lois asks, leaning against the doorframe. Kara turns and grins at her.

 

“We’re making a bed for Superbaby!” she says, almost hitting Dick in the face with the planks. Dick ducks out of the way just in time.

 

“Trying to, at least,” he grumbles.

 

“You’re doing fine,” Barbara soothes. She turns to look at Lois. “We’re trying to fix up a room for the baby.” Lois blinks, feels something warm stir in her chest.

 

“T-thank you,” she says. “I...I literally don’t know what I would’ve done without you guys.”

 

“No problem,” Kara says as Dick says, “Thank us _after_ we defeat the Ikea monster.”

 

“I’m so glad an Ikea product is what finally defeated the mighty Nightwing,” Lois teases. Dick scoffs.

 

\-------

 

Bruce paces back and forth. He’s not allowed in the hospital room with her since he and Lois aren’t married, and he’s not the father. He supposes he could’ve lied, but claiming to be “Superbaby’s” father seems like too much.

 

“This is so stressful,” Kara says, dragging her hands down her face. “Last time I had to do this, it was for Clark.”

 

“That’s still super weird,” Dick says. “That you were present when the father of that baby was born.”

 

“It’s weird for me, too,” Kara grumbles.

 

Bruce tries to ignore them. He hadn’t expected this to be so...worrying. Sure, so far the nurses claim that all’s well, but the fact that labors take so _long_ hadn’t really occurred to Bruce until this moment. They’ve already been at the hospital for about six hours, and the nurses said it wouldn’t be too much longer, but Bruce was still stressed.

 

A while ago, Dick and Kara had left to patrol, but Bruce had been too preoccupied. It’d been brief, and they’d returned quickly.

 

A nurse passes, one Bruce recognizes.

 

“She’s doing fine,” the nurse says without prompting. “I promise, everything will be okay.”

 

“I hope so,” Dick mutters.

 

\----

 

Around four hours later, a tired nurse comes out. She smiles.

 

“She’s tired,” she says. “But the birth went well.” Dick and Kara stand in one motion, Bruce taking an unconscious step forward.

 

“The baby?” Kara asks.

 

“Is fine. Lois wants you to come inside,” the nurse says. She directs them to the room, and the three step inside.

 

There’s a sort of stillness to the air, a sort of calm. The lights are dim and Lois is on the bed, holding a baby who already has a tuft of black hair. She has circles under her eyes, but she smiles when she sees them.

 

“Come here,” she says. “Meet Jon.”

 

 _A boy, then_ , Bruce thinks as he steps forward. He turns to look at the baby, the itty-bitty child in Lois’s arms.

 

“Hi, Jon,” Kara breathes. When Bruce turns to look at her, she’s crying. He pulls his arms around her, letting her still look at Jon and Lois.

 

“He’s adorable,” Dick says.

 

“Yes,” Bruce says. “Are you alright?”

 

“I’m fine,” she promises. “Tired.”

 

“I’ll tell Alfred and Babs to come in tomorrow, then,” Dick says, typing on his phone.

 

“Sure,” Lois says. “But right now I think I need to sleep.”

 

“Of course,” Bruce says. “Of course.”

 

And the nurse ushers them out of the room, and Bruce can’t put a finger on the emotions twisting in his chest.

 

\--------

 

Kara sits on the floor of Jon’s room, her hand curled around the bars of his crib.

 

“Hello, Jon,” she whispers. The baby doesn’t stir from his sleep. “I’m your cousin.”

 

She takes a deep breath, resting her forehead against the crib bars.

 

“I’m going to protect you,” she continues without moving her head. “I’m going to make sure you stay safe. From--from what I learned about your dad, I think that t-this is how he’d want me to fulfill my promise.” She chokes, thinking about how Kal never knew she existed, never knew that she was there for him.

 

She thinks about the icy fortress that she’d flown to when she was home alone, the one she explores whenever she has the chance. That was all Kal had of Krypton, besides Zod and his crew. He never--he never got to hear the _personal_ stories she could tell. He never got to hear, never got to know her. If she’d done her job right--if she’d _been there,_ maybe she’d have grown up in Kansas, too. Maybe she’d be helping Lois now, as the cool-older-sister-cousin. Or maybe she’d be dead, and Kal would be with his son and wife.

 

But--she wasn’t there. She can’t change that. A-and it wasn’t her fault she wasn’t there. It wasn’t.

 

It wasn’t her fault.

 

Kara freezes, feels tears run down her cheeks. _It wasn’t her fault._

 

Kara releases her hold on the bars, on the crib, and she buries her face in her knees, and she cries, quiet as she can.

 

She hears footsteps, and a door opens, and someone takes a sharp inhale.

 

“Kara,” Bruce says, and he comes to her. She turns into his arms, and she cries into his shirt. “What’s wrong?” he asks, and she cries harder.

 

“It wasn’t my fault,” she says through her sobs. “It wasn’t my fault.”

 

“I know, Kara, I know,” he soothes, running his hands through her hair. “I know.”

 

\--------

 

Lois is on the couch, curled up with Jon. Dick and Kara are playing some video game, and Bruce has WE stuff out.

 

It’s oddly domestic, Bruce knows. He hasn’t been like this since--since---well. Talia was never very domestic.

 

He checks the time; about two more hours until patrol. Lois shifts from her end of the couch and leans on his shoulder.

 

“Do you think you want to work at the _Gazette_ permanently?” Bruce asks her quietly. “Or go back to Metropolis?”

 

“I’m not sure,” she says thoughtfully, letting Jon grab onto her finger. “I mean--being here, with you, is. Nice. But the _Planet_ was good work. But also--”

 

“It reminded you of him,” Bruce says.

 

“Yeah,” she says, then she huffs out a laugh. “‘Hey, Perry, decided to quit the _Planet_ to move to Gotham, I accidently fell in love with Bruce Wayne’.” Bruce chuckles, his insides freezing.

 

_In love?_

 

He takes a deep breath to calm himself; he thinks of Lois, and Jon, and he doesn’t think of Clark.

 

Yeah, “in love” seems right. He kisses her forehead, and there’s a knock at the door.

 

“I’ll get it,” he says, since Alfred is upstairs. He gets up, puts the WE papers on the side table and tosses Kara her glasses, in case whoever it is needs to come in, or something.

 

He goes to the door and opens it. For a second he thinks he’s been pranked, since there’s nobody there.

 

Then his gaze travels downward.

 

And the man laying there nearly gives Bruce a heart attack.

 

\----

 

It takes Bruce a few seconds to recover, before he shuts the door behind him and kneels down.

 

“If this is a prank, I’ll search Lex Luthor down and destroy him,” he says in the Batman voice--or at least the one he used before the voice modifier.

 

“Not...prank…” Clark Kent says weakly, turning to look at him. “I’m...real. Alive.”

 

Despite himself, Bruce reaches out to touch him. He’s breathing. He looks real.

 

“What’s wrong with you? Why are you on the ground? How did you come back? _Why are you here?”_

 

“Powers...still coming in,” Clark wheezes. “Flying...really hard. Draining. I’m...not sure why I’m...not dead. And Ma said--she said I should see you.”

 

“I killed you,” Bruce says flatly. Clark chuckles weakly.

 

“No,” he says. “That...wasn’t...your fault.” Bruce thinks of Kara.

 

“Whatever,” he says. “How long have you been alive?”

 

“A week,” he says.

 

 _Missed Jon’s birth by two,_ Bruce thinks.

 

“What did your mom tell you?” She’d already been to visit them, right after Jon was born.

 

“Just that it was important to come,” Clark says. “Life or death important.” Bruce stands up, offers Clark his hand.

 

Clark takes it, and Bruce hauls him to his feet. He sighs. What is he supposed to tell Lois? To tell Kara?

 

Bruce opens the door, lets Clark in.

 

“Just...wait here a minute,” he says. “I have to--tell them you’re here.”

 

“Them?” Clark repeats, and Bruce goes back to the family room. Kara is pale, maybe paler than Bruce’s ever seen her. Dick looks surprised, but he’s been in the business so long that not much is that surprising anymore. And Lois--she’s steeling herself, Bruce can see it.

 

“I heard,” Kara whispers. “I was listening. Is--is it--”

 

“Yes,” Bruce confirms. “It’s him.”

 

“Oh my god,” Lois breathes, putting her free hand over her mouth.

 

“Sweet Rao,” Kara says, and her voice cracks.

 

“I’ll go--get him, then,” Bruce says, and he turns and goes back to the door. He offers Clark his arm to help him along.

 

“Brace yourself,” he warns.

 

“For what?” Clark asks, but then they turn the corner and Clark freezes.

 

\--------

 

It takes him a second to comprehend what he’s seeing. Lois is in the center of the room, holding a tiny baby. There’s a young man with dark hair who looks vaguely familiar next to her, his hand on her shoulder. The last person in the room is a girl, fourteen or thirteen, with blonde hair and glasses.

 

“L-lois?” Clark asks dumbly, then he refocuses on the baby. Ma had said nine months. Nine months since he’d been dead. Nine months.

 

“Baby?” he says. Lois nods, her eyes wet with tears.

 

“H-his name is Jon.” She swallows. “Jonathan Clark Lane.”

 

“And he’s--mine?” Lois nods again and Clark puts his hand to his mouth. “Can I--can I see him?” Lois nods for a third time, and Clark wants to gather her close, to hold her, but. Why is she _here?_

 

He looks at his son for the first time, and his face is tiny and squishy and perfect. Clark reverently reaches out, touches his face.

 

“I have a son,” he says.

 

“Yes,” Lois says.

 

“And that’s not all,” an unfamiliar voice says. Clark looks up to see the unfamiliar duo. The young man nods at him. “Dick Grayson,” he says. “It’s an honor to meet you, but that’s not what’s important.” He gently nudges the girl forwards. She looks up at him with watery eyes.

 

“H-hi,” she says. “I’m--I’m Kara. And I’m your cousin.”

 

“What?” Clark gasps, because a cousin is more inconceivable then a son. The girl takes off her glasses to wipe her eyes.

 

“When Krypton blew up, my parents and yours sent me to watch you,” she says shakily. “B--but I got lost. And I fell into a cryo-sleep, and I stayed thirteen. T-then I landed t-too late, a-and B-B-Bruce found me, b-but I was s-supposed to watch you, b-but you were d-dead--” she breaks off and Clark opens his arms, unsure of what else to  do.

 

She falls into them, and Clark holds Kara tight.

 

\------

 

Lois lets Clark hold Jon, then she grabs Bruce by the shirt and drags him to a separate room.

 

"Are you okay?” Bruce asks.

 

“I have no clue,” Lois says. “What am I supposed to do?” She twists her ring nervously. “I mean--I’m still wearing this!” She shows him the ring.

 

“I know,” he says.

 

“B-but…” and she’s not sure how to finish her sentence. The frank truth is that she still loves Clark. But she also loves Bruce, and she’s literally _just_ told Bruce that, and she can’t take it back--it’s unfair to him, and to her. She’s not going to ignore her feelings for Bruce, but she can’t ignore them for Clark, either.

 

She leans her head on Bruce’s chest.

 

“I’m not sure what to do,” she mumbles.

 

“I know,” he says. “Me neither.”

 

\------

 

Having Clark around the manor is unbearably awkward. He decides to stay, for the simple reason that flying is difficult and he wants to be with his son.

 

Clark’s probably noticed the _whatever_ between Lois and Bruce--and Bruce again feels guilty that he’s stolen Lois from him.

 

After only a few days, Clark’s eyes fall on Lois’ ring, and his face lights up, and she frowns and excuses herself.

 

Bruce finds the ring on his bedside table, and he knows that however hard this is for him, it must be unbearable for Lois. He makes a decision.

 

“Lois,” he says, “maybe we should...end whatever this is. You can...go back to Clark. No guilt. I’m...I’ll be fine.”

 

She stares at him, hard in the eye.

 

“Bullshit,” she says. “I don’t owe anything to Clark, and he knows it. He was _dead._ What was I supposed to do, pine? No way.”

 

“But...you still love him.” Bruce doesn’t exactly need to be the world’s greatest detective to know that.

 

“Yes,” Lois says simply. “And I probably always will.” She grabs his face, meets his eye. “But I love _you,_ too.”

 

Bruce isn’t sure what to say to that. She kisses him, and he wonders if Clark heard.

 

\----

 

Bruce sits on the floor, thinking. He thinks about Clark.

 

Clark is selfless and kind. He’s tried to leave Wayne Manor a few times, clearly trying not to get in the way. Bruce suspects he’s tried to let Lois go, same as Bruce has, but Lois is stubborn and won’t hear any of it.

 

Clark already loves Kara as much as Bruce or Dick does, and he’s such a good father to Jon it makes Bruce feel awkward, remembering that Dick had run away from him. Several times.

 

Already Bruce can see that he’s surrounded himself with people who are far better than him, and well, isn’t that just life?

 

\---------

 

Diana pushes the doors open without knocking.

 

“Hello!” she calls into the house. “I bear news!”

 

“In the kitchen,” Bruce responds, and Diana’s been here enough--stayed with him right after Clark died, has come back since (although not since Kara moved in)--that she knows where that is.

 

She goes to the kitchen, and she knew Clark was alive, but she’s somehow surprised to see him there. And there he is, eating a sandwitch.

 

Lois Lane, last seen at Clark’s funeral, is sitting at the table as well, feeding her baby. A little blonde--Kara--and an older man are eating, too, with Bruce at the head of the table.

 

“Hello, Diana,” he says.

 

“Hello,” Diana says. She turns to Clark. “Nice to see you again.”

 

“You too,” he says. “Um. What are you doing here?”

 

“Ah, that’s right,” Diana says, turning back to Bruce. “Arthur Curry is nearly on our side. Victor Stone and Barry Allen are with Donna now.”

 

“Good,” Bruce says. “And?” He is too perceptive, Diana will grant him that.

 

“There are rumors of others,” she says. “I have heard tell of one with a ring that grants him powers. A vigilante in Star City. A girl who can kill you with her voice. Winged people. A shapeshifter. Others, too.”

 

“I’ve heard about the one in Star,” the unknown man says.

 

“I have, too,” Bruce says. “The world is changing too fast.”

 

“It started with you,” Diana says. “They say the one in Star City has been around far longer than Superman.”

 

“Nobody’s been around as long as Batman,” Clark says.

 

“That doesn’t matter,” Bruce says. “Once we gather Curry, we should recruit the others.”

 

“For what?” Clark asks.

 

“We’ve been gathering up a team of metas to protect the world,” Diana explains. “We all need to be on the same page. It was Bruce’s idea.”

 

“I didn’t want any more deaths,” Bruce grunts, and Diana wonders if this idea had been cooking in his head since he lost his son. Perhaps.

 

“Well, I’m in,” Clark says, looking at Bruce oddly. “Once my powers are fully restored, of course.”

 

“Of course,” Diana says, looking between the two men. “If that’s alright with Bruce.”

 

“Frankly, Diana, I’m not in any position to tell Superman what to do,” Bruce says tiredly, and Clark is still staring at Bruce, and Diana turns to look at Lois, to see what she thinks of her love staring at Bruce so, but Lois’s expression almost matches Clark’s. Ah. Well, then, unusual, but not unheard of--but oh, they don’t know.

 

Diana wonders if she should tell them.

 

Her phone rings, and she turns to take it.

 

“Yes?” she asks.

 

“Arthur’s agreed to another meeting,” Donna says, breathlessly. “And Barry and Vic said yes, so they went in. Alone.”

 

“Why didn’t you go with them?” Diana asks, alarmed.

 

“You’re better at keeping the peace then me,” Donna says. “I’m about to go in. But hurry!” She hangs up. Diana turns to face them.

 

“I must leave,” she says. Bruce nods assent. “Lois, come walk me to the door. I wish to meet the little one.”

 

“Okay,” Lois says, looking a little confused but following Diana anyway. At the doorway, when they’re out of earshot, Diana holds Lois’s shoulders, gently.

 

“I do not know Clark,” she says. “But I know Bruce will be too stubborn, too sacrificing. I’m not trying to meddle, but you love them both, yes?” Lois nods slowly, eyes wide. “Before you and Kara arrived, Bruce was obsessed with Clark. He read anything about him he could get his hands on. And he was half in love with him already. Now that he’s returned--if what I know of Clark is true, it’s entirely possible Bruce loves both of you, as well. I cannot speak for Clark, but…”

 

“But if we all love each other,” Lois whispers, realization in her eyes. “Then what’s to stop us from being together?”

 

“Exactly,” Diana says. “I do not wish to tell you what to do, but….”

 

“I understand,” Lois says.

 

“Now I really must go,” Diana says. “I will return to meet the little one for real, and Kara, and the other one, too. I hope we can be good friends.”

 

“I think we will,” Lois says, smiling.

 

“I do too,” Diana says, before she opens the door and flies away, hoping to intervene before Victor or Barry say anything _too_ offensive to the king of the sea.

 

\--------

 

Clark has issues with sleeping. The issues are mainly that he has nightmares about Doomsday, about Kryptonite, about clawing his way out of his grave.

 

He rolls out of bed, his heart beating wildly. There’s no way he’s falling asleep alone.

 

He goes to Lois’s room, creaks the door open, but--she’s not there. Clark feels a surge of guilt--of _course_ she isn’t. She’s with-- _Bruce,_ Bruce who tried to kill him, Bruce who cares about him, Bruce who took in Kara without needing to, Bruce who has a son, Bruce who carries untold pain with him everywhere he goes, Bruce who Lois loves.

 

Clark isn’t aware he’s by Bruce’s bedroom until he’s pushing open the door. Lois and Bruce are on one side of his massive bed, both fully clothed and sound asleep. Clark goes over to the empty side of the bed and stares at the space of bed that would easily fit him.

 

Bruce lifts his head, and turns to meet Clark’s eyes. Clark takes a nervous step backwards--what is he _doing_?

 

Bruce stares at him wordlessly, and Lois turns, shifts. She lifts her head and stares at Clark, at Bruce, then slumps back down.

 

“Get in here,” she mumbles, and Bruce shrugs, lays back down. Clark crawls in awkwardly, staying as far from Lois as he can. She rolls over, towards him, and drags him closer.

 

“Warm,” she says. And Clark looks over her body, at Bruce, who shrugs again. Maybe...maybe this isn’t bad.

 

\------

 

The next time Clark is in Bruce’s bed, Bruce is almost asleep when he feels someone else crawling up onto him. He opens one eye.

 

_“Is--will Talia mind?” he’d asked, biting his lip. Bruce’s gaze had flickered to Talia, asleep next to him._

 

_“No,” he’d decided. “It’s fine.” The boy flashed him a grateful smile, curled up on top of him--_

 

“There’s a lot more people here then there were the first time,” Kara whispers, cutting him out of the flashback.

 

“Yes,” he says, and she wiggles between him and Lois anyway.

 

“Are you and Clark in love?” she whispers, and he balks. He bites back the denial ready on his tongue.

 

“I don’t know,” he says.

 

“That’s fine,” she says, snuggling up to his arm. “You can decide later.”

 

“Yeah,” he says, looking up at the ceiling. “I can.”

 

\----

 

“Clark!” Lois calls. “Bruce! Get in here!” Bruce drops his stance and looks up at the ceiling. He wonders when he became susceptible to her every whim.

 

“Sounds urgent,” Dick notes.

 

“Yeah,” Bruce says, and they leave the Batcave, taking the steps two at a time. Lois is in the family room, watching the news. Bruce stands behind the couch and Dick vaults over, and they watch the TV.

 

“....This new “Superman” has been seen in three locations, witnesses report,” the anchor--Bruce recognizes her from Metropolis News--says. “He’s been aiding with cats in trees, a burning building, and a car crash. He seems almost like the original brand. Is this Superman, back from the dead? Let’s ask a witness of his do-gooding--Jimmy Olsen.” The screen switches to Jimmy Olsen’s pale face.

 

“He was just like the old one, the cape and suit and everything--but the suit was darker, black maybe? And his face looked a lot younger, like he was a teenager. Maybe he de-aged when he came back from the dead!”

 

“Jimmy never was the sharpest tool in the shed,” Clark says from next to Bruce. Bruce ignores him and pulls out his phone. He hears Dick from below him.

 

“Babs? You seen the news? Got any info?” He twists around to look at Bruce. “She’s gonna forward us a link.” On que, Bruce’s phone pings with four new emails. He opens the first link, and there’s a blurry picture plastered across the front--a carbon copy of Clark when he was seventeen.

 

“What the hell,” Clark says. Bruce shrugs.

 

“Maybe the Batman needs to make a return to Metropolis,” he says, and Kara squeals from the couch.

 

\----

 

The Batplane lands, and Batman opens the doors--Lois decked in a suit almost like Nightwing’s but without an insignia and in a dull shade of blue-grey and a mask comes out, with Nightwing bouncing after. Batman comes out and puts the Batplane in camouflage mode.

 

Superman and Robin soar down from the skies, Superman’s powers more or less returned.

 

“Let’s do this,” Nightwing says, grinning.

 

“We’ll split up,” Batman growls. “Robin, with me. Lois, go with Nightwing. Superman, stay in the air. Oracle--if you hear anything, tell us where to go.”

 

“Sure thing, B,” she says. “He was last spotted in central Metropolis.”

 

“Then Robin and I will be there,” Batman says. “Come on.”

 

\------

 

There’s a car crash, and Superman descends from the sky, feeling his cape billow around him. He hears hushed whispers at the sight of him, and he lifts up one of the cars, and it all feels so familiar and so right.

 

He hears Lois and Nightwing’s heartbeats in a shadow somewhere nearby, but he pushes the thought out of his mind and people are screaming, but happy screams, and he methodically lifts and rescues, and there’s a thump and Clark looks up at the boy in front of him.

 

He has his face, but he’s wearing black and red, and he storms towards Clark.

 

“Who are you?” he asks.

 

“I’m Superman,” Clark responds, and he hears Cat Grant screaming in joy.

 

“I thought _I_ was Superman,” the other boy says, and he sounds confused, and Clark knows he’s a clone of some sort, and he feels bad for him.

 

“Well, I am, back from the dead, but maybe I can help you,” Clark says, as kind as he can. The boy’s face screws up in anger and he leaps away. Clark sets the car down.

 

“Stay safe,” he says. “I’ve gotta catch him.”

 

And he leaps away.

 

\----

 

“It’s over, Luthor,” Batman growls.

 

“That’s what you said last time,” Lex says, grinning far too much for someone who’s handcuffed and stared at by Batman and Robin. It reminds Batman far too much of someone else, someone he doesn't want to think about.

 

“What were you hoping to gain by cloning Superman?” Batman asks, baring his teeth.

 

“Well, I was really thinking that Metropolis wouldn’t be Metropolis without a god in the sky protecting her,” Luthor says, smiling. “And all the better if I control that god!”

 

“He doesn’t even know who he _is,_ ” Robin says. She presses her mask and replays the recorded conversation between Clark and the clone that Oracle had sent them.

 

“ _I don’t know anything besides Superman!”_

 

_“There must be more to you than that.”_

 

_“Is there?” The clone’s voice broke. “I don’t….I don’t even have a name.”_

 

“If he doesn’t know who he is, then how can the people trust him?” Robin continues.

 

“You messed up, Luthor,” Batman growls.

 

“Maybe so, but I was rushed,” Lex says. “I lived in fear that I’d be caught before he could be finished.”

 

“Well, your fear’s going to come true,” Batman says. “I think prison will be more fun this time around.”

 

“How’s rooming next to some of Gotham’s worst criminals sound?” Robin asks. “Scarecrow and Two-Face just got caught. How about in between them?”

 

Lex pales, and Batman grins.

 

\---

 

“T-thank you again, sir,” the clone--Kon--says, looking at his new clothes. Bruce crosses his arms.

 

“It’s not a problem,” he reminds him. “I’ve already got three, what’s one more?” Kon blushes and Bruce leaves, letting him get used to his new surroundings.

 

\----

 

“Hi Mom,” Bruce says, kneeling beside their graves. “Hi Dad.” He sets down the flowers, takes a deep breath. “I’ve got three kids now, maybe four, depending on how things go with Kon. Of course _he_ will always be my son, but--I think I’m doing better. I’m in a better place then I was a year ago. I’ve got Kara and Jon now, and--ha. My no-meta’s rule is dissolving quickly. Jon may develop powers, we’re not sure. And of course Kara’s already helping Kon fine-tune his--she’s a good sister. Or friend. Whichever. And Dick’s doing well, but I can tell how much he misses--him. Of course Alfred’s always there for me, and everyone else. And I have--I have _friends_ now, in Barbara and Diana and Donna and Barry and the others. And there’s Lois and Clark, who--we’re still working out the details. Lois told me something Diana mentioned to her, and it’s--an interesting idea. But I think--I have hope it’ll all work out.”

 

Bruce stands up, touches his mother’s grave softly.

 

“I miss you,” he says quietly. “But I think--I think everything’s going pretty well.”

He sighs, smiles, and turns towards the house, looking back only to spare a quick glance at the single grave next to his parents.

 

\--------

 

He watches from afar, peering through binoculars at the window. Wayne, Lane, and Kent are at the table, eating and laughing. He sees Grayson and the younger version of Kent setting the table, the little blonde making faces at the baby. They’re the picture of a perfect family.

 

_Disgusting._

 

He turns away and steps over the skinny little twerp of a stalker that he’d knocked out when he’d realized who he was spying on. He hadn’t shot the kid, of course, being that he was fifteen  _at most_ and he wasn’t really in the habit of shooting minors. He stares out at the city, where it’s just beginning to darken.

 

He leaps to the next rooftop, ignoring the flash of purple at the corner of his vision, and grins from under his helmet.

 

Jason Todd is back in Gotham, and the Red Hood is here to stay.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading! hope you enjoyed! comments/kudos always welcome :)


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